RELIC RIDERS

MOTORCYCLE CLUB

6th Annual Show & Shine

in Aid of Juvenile Diabetes

Wasn't That a Weekend!

It was Black & White this weekend compared to last year! Not just in describing the colours of the Relic Riders MC, but also in describing this past weekend's phenomenal turn out for the 6th Annual Show & Shine.

Unlike the drenching we experienced last year, this year was fantastic! No rain!

Bikes of all makes and models were on hand for all to see. No egos, no attitudes, just a bunch of guys and gals getting along and enjoying the weekend late into the evening.

I rolled into Paddy's Garden in Carbonear around noon and the field was already mostly packed. Harley's, Metrics, Performance, Trikes, Customs, you name it, they were there.

The weekend had an atmosphere reminiscent of those you get from a high school reunion. Friends new and old met and caught up since they last saw each other, while others made quick new buddies while comparing notes on their respective bikes.

 Vendors were on hand to display their goods (I bought the coolest t-shirt from East Rider) and offered great deals and savings to everyone. Awesome BBQ'd moose burgers, cold soft drinks, and the beer tent were all bustling with activity throughout the day while a live band entertained the crowd on the field.

As usual the Ladies of the Relic Riders pulled the proverbial rabbit from the hat by doing a top notch job cooking and serving the crowds at a military-like pace and precision. Ladies, thanks again for pulling off such a difficult task all the while with smiles on your lovely faces. Their sunburned skin the following morning was proof enough they can stand with the best of them and still make sure everyone had a great time! Thank you!

The beer tent was lively with laughter echoing from all directions. I have to say, the strategic location of the beer tent is a smart move as it allows those having a few suds to relax and not have to worry about children hanging around. Being a semi-tea-totaller I didn't hang out in the beer tent very much but I did drop in to meet and greet old and new friends alike.

The steak BBQ supper with all the trimmings was top notch and more than one could ask for. After the BBQ dinner, most who stuck around to attend the dance later in the evening went home for a quick shower (or nap) to be ready to party the night away. I don't have the full list of prizes and winners on hand here but I'm sure you can read who was who and who donated which prizes in the forums.

SUNDAY RIDE & BREAKFAST

Ah Sunday. Well, it didn't look too promising when I peaked out my window early Sunday morning. In fact it looked like it was going to be a wash out. I was glad to see I was wrong! Very wrong!

When I left my house it had just finished raining and was quite overcast. By the time I reached Carbonear, the clouds parted and the sun was shining. Ah yes, this was going to be a great day afterall.

People started their Sunday morning with the Relic Riders famous Big Newfoundland Breakfast around 11:00am. A big thank you to the staff and cooks at the Lions Club for also pulling off a daunting task at getting the steak supper and big breakfast ready without a hitch.

I believe we all pulled out to start the ride around 1:30pm. My count as usual was all over the place. I figure about 100 bikes took part in the ride.

Like a large and long rumbling metal snake, the pack headed down through Carbonear and up the highway to the Tilton exit. The pack was not amused with the road construction crew who decided to break up the pack twice rather than let us all pass through at once. Finally we started to move and the first stop was at Brown's Restaurant where a quick 50-50 draw was held. I figure we stayed there for a good 30 minutes before moving onwards to Winterton for a few great pictures.

Just as we pulled out from Brown's Restaurant, while following Brook from the forums here, I felt a sharp smack followed by immediate stinging to my face. I reached up and saw my fingers drenched in blood. Well, not entirely true, my fingers weren't exactly drenched in blood BUT they did have evidence of a serious wound! OK, not a serious wound, but more like a deep-ish scratch. Turns out a rock flicked up from either a bike ahead of me or from a passing car in the opposite lane. I'll blame Brook either way though as its much more fun to razz a buddy.

I was also one of the few people who didn't see the big moose everyone was talking about when we pulled into Winterton. Apparently there was a big moose which obviously had to have been pretty noticeable considering passengers were able to snap a few pics of the moose while riding past it. Unfortunately I didn't see it likely due to the massive amount of blood loss I experienced from the gash to my face. Oh right, I already admitted it was more of a scratch than a gash.

We all mingled around then sat down and had a group picture taken. I was impressed how mindful everyone was at picking up their garbage at each stop and disposed of the trash properly rather than leave the place strewn with garbage. It's the little gestures like that which the civilians who weren't riding but watching us from a distance would see and remember. Equally impressive is how everyone took the time to allow the civilians to come over and have a chat with us and snap a few pics of the bikes.

I had a great little rush when we left Winterton with a new buddy I met on the ride. Again I'll accuse Brook of starting it off, but not in a bad way, but in a fun and safe manner. As we left the parking area, Brook hit the throttle to catch up to the leading group quickly so as not to cause a wicked slow catch-up procession. Just as I started to throttle my bike up, out from behind me a sweet looking black Victory with a fat ass tire started passing me at a respectable clip. Not to be left behind like that, I squeezed the throttle and he and I along with Brook quickly closed the gap. I admit I was surprised at how quickly the Victory seemingly smoked me, so when we came to a virtual stand still I pulled up alongside buddy (Keith was his name ... well, I'm sure it's still is his name today also) and I asked what size engine he had on his Victory. He smiled and mentioned a couple hundred-plus MORE cc's than my little 1450cc and apologized to me if I took offence. I laughed and said hell no and that I actually enjoyed that little rush with him and Brook. When we stopped in Carbonear at the end of the ride, I told Keith I'd have smoked his ass on my bike had I not been injured. LOL

So anyway, the ride ended in the Bank of Nova Scotia parking lot in Carbonear and everyone arrived safe and sound. We all had a fantastic ride from start to end. NO RAIN! Well, not entirely true, it did drip a little just before we reached Carbonear but not anywhere near enough to even need to wipe off your goggles and that only lasted maybe for less than a kilometer. What I really like about these events and the group ride afterwards is how the entire biker community comes together and nobody stands around in little brand specific cliques. Whether you rode in on a Harley or rode in on a Ninja, we were all there for a great time and that's exactly what we did and exactly what happened. I even purposely took notice to see how the group was riding together and from my perch everyone rode safely and respectably with one another.

Thanks again to the Relic Riders MC for showing us a great weekend and looking forward to many more in the following years!

In the meantime, if you have pictures you would like to share, please email them to me at lklevesque@persona.ca and I'll post them.

Respect!

Snag